The sunny side of Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is renowned worldwide for its natural beauty, high altitude lakes and breathtaking landscapes. The state is now encashing on its natural assets and warm hospitality, to showcase itself in a new light to tourists all over the world.

Jammu and Kashmir is a combination of everything one wants from snow clad mountains, meandering streams, flora and fauna, to lakes and a cold dessert. With three regions, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, the state is a key spiritual and religious hub, catering to all age groups, old and young. J&K is aspiring to be not only an adventure tourism hub but also a destination that offers niche products and is soon emerging as a MiCE hotspot.

Tulip Garden

Tulip Garden in Kashmir is the Asia's largest and the state hosts a festival around the month of April to showcase the charming beauty of the garden. The tulip garden in Srinagar is commonly known as Siraj Bagh and is located on the banks of the famous Dal Lake. When viewing the garden, you are able to see the large variety of colours of the flowers. There are over 60 varieties of early, mid and late blooming tulips.

Golfing

Kashmir offers a unique opportunity to play golf in invigorating surroundings, where the wind whispers through enormous trees of chinar and stately pine. The golf course at Gulmarg, situated at an altitude of 2,650 m, is the highest green golf course in the world. The Kashmir Golf Club has all the luxuries fitted that make playing golf a memorable experience while the Royal Spring Golf Course has been voted as India’s best golf course.

Rafting

With the intricate network of Mountain Rivers flowing through myriad rocky gorges, forests, flowers and high mountain villages, the Lidder River, Pahalgam provides ideal locales for the perfect water adventure. The suitable period for river running depends on the adequacy of water volume. Thus, the period between April and September is most appropriate.

Skiing

Skiing is one of the prime attractions in Kashmir and is apt for adventure seekers. Gulmarg is considered to be the best ski resort in the Himalayas and is accredited as the highest cable car enabled ski resort in the world mainly due to a Gondola Cable Car Lift. For skiers visiting Gulmarg, accommodation is available at the JKTDC Huts situated at Patnitop, Sanasar and Kud apart from the several private hotels available for booking at Patnitop and Kud

Mountaineering

Climbing in the Himalayas can be very stimulating. Rich in flora and fauna, the summits of most peaks are an exhilarating experience. More recently, peaks in the restricted area of the Nubra Valley in the Inaian Karakorams have also been opened to foreign and Indian tourists. The popular peaks of Ladakh and Kashmir where mountaineering expeditions are organised on a regular basis are Apsarasas, Chong Kumdan, Teram Kangri Group, Tughmo Zarpo and Saser Kangri. Places like Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Sonamarg serve as base camps for trekking tours to mountain peaks.